My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 108

§ 108 – Lingering Questions (1)

Wobble.

Cyan’s body swayed.

His mind grew faint, and his vision flickered.

But Cyan gritted his teeth, clinging to his departing consciousness.

He planted the SS-rank sword into the ground, supporting his collapsing body.

He raised his head, his gaze fixed.

He saw the world’s scenery sliced in two.

Within that scenery was Lushuria.

From her right side to her left shoulder.

The long scar etched into Lushuria’s body cut through the background without end.

All the scenery that could be seen was cleaved.

Truly a transcendent sight.

Yet, ironically, no sound was heard.

As if sound itself had been cut away, only a thick ringing filled his ears.

Thus, he couldn’t know.

The gaping mouth of Lushuria.

Whether a scream was escaping from within.

Or if she was unable to utter a single word.

He couldn’t know.

Lushuria’s mouth remained agape, her body frozen.

The swirling red magic.

The malice nearing infinity.

It no longer existed.

Therefore, Cyan could vaguely sense it.

The Lushuria he saw now.

Was no longer Lushuria.

Had she vanished? He didn’t know.

Lushuria had been using Muriel’s body as a vessel.

What Cyan had cut down was indeed Lushuria, not Muriel.

However, he couldn’t be sure if Lushuria had completely disappeared.

However, Lushuria had forcibly drawn out her inherent power.

And Cyan had forcibly severed the connection with the vessel.

Above all, the power Cyan had just unleashed.

Ultimate – Asura Heavenly Slaughter.

Muriel’s miracle, imbued with her last will.

That transcendent power had drawn him to a realm Cyan could never have reached on his own.

Thus, it was worthy of being called Kyle’s Asura Heavenly Slaughter.

Lushuria had vanished.

Even if it wasn’t a complete annihilation, she had suffered irreparable damage.

Therefore, the Lushuria he saw now.

Was not Lushuria, but Muriel.

However.

Muriel could hardly be called human.

Though the Lushuria that had consumed Muriel was gone.

The current Muriel was an existence that should not exist.

All her flesh was rotten and decaying.

Her bones were melting and flowing away.

She was an existence that should have died and disappeared a thousand years ago.

Even if Lushuria had vanished, that form couldn’t be considered a living being.

That ‘thing’ had been able to move because of Lushuria.

But now that Lushuria was gone.

Rustle···.

Muriel’s body crumbled like sand, scattering away.

Starting from the diagonal scar, piece by piece, she turned to sand and vanished into the air.

Cyan silently watched the scene.

Just then.

[Thank··· you.]

Such a voice··· was heard.

Could it be Muriel’s voice?

Could her spirit still remain within the body?

Impossible. It had been over a thousand years.

Even if it had remained.

It would have been consumed and destroyed by Lushuria during those thousand years.

A thousand years of enduring while being consumed by a demon.

Even Helen was on the verge of mental collapse after 100 years.

No matter how strong Muriel was, a thousand years was far too long.

So, it must have been a delusion.

Was it really··· a delusion?

Cyan couldn’t know.

A voice that felt no malice whatsoever.

Far from malice, a voice more noble than any other.

It was the same voice as the woman in the illusion he had seen.

At that moment.

Muriel’s body moved for a moment.

Slowly turning her body, she looked at Cyan.

Then, Muriel slowly reached out her hand towards Cyan.

Was this also an illusion?

He no longer knew···.

All Cyan could see was Muriel reaching out her hand towards him.

Even as she raised her hand, her existence was denied, turning to sand.

[I··· couldn’t··· but···.]

Again, a voice was heard.

Muriel’s hand brushed against the air towards Cyan.

Wanting to reach but unable to.

Before his eyes, Muriel’s hand crumbled into sand and disappeared.

[To you···.]

The sight of Muriel he saw was so hideous.

A sight that made one’s eyes squint just by looking at it, a truly hideous sight.

The source of the plague.

The evil that gathered all the negativity of the world.

Muriel, who was called a goddess.

Muriel’s current appearance was not noble at all.

But now.

The death she faced, going back a thousand years.

The death she finally chose.

Was more than anything Cyan had ever seen.

[May the boundless glory··· bless you···.]

Rustle···.

A noble death.

#

Ding!

《The duration of the ‘Muriel’s Miracle – Myth’ effect has expired!》

《’Muriel’s Miracle – Myth’ has been changed to ‘Muriel’s Blessing’!》

At the same time as the cheerful notification sound from his smartphone, the power that had filled his entire body drained away.

The transcendent power vanished at once, and an endless sense of exhaustion washed over him.

“Cough···!”

Along with it, the shocks of the backlash poured in.

Cyan’s body, which had been supported by the SS-rank sword stuck in the ground, tilted.

-Lord! Are you alright!

Fortunately, Kendrick rushed over and caught him.

Thanks to that, he was able to avoid the misfortune of falling.

Cyan managed to raise his body with Kendrick’s support.

Cyan, who had exerted +1,000,000% of his abilities with the ‘Muriel’s Miracle – Myth’ buff.

The backlash from that enormous power rushed in all at once.

It was a wonder that he was maintaining his sanity.

Fortunately, the buff’s effect was on ‘all’ physical abilities, which made it possible.

Since his entire physical abilities had been increased, he was able to withstand the backlash from ‘Ultimate – Asura Heavenly Slaughter’ itself.

Even so, there was a terrible shock, but it wasn’t enough to knock him unconscious.

However, he couldn’t do anything about the shock that was messing with his head.

Outside of Cyan’s cognitive realm.

A realm so distant that Cyan wondered if he could ever reach it, even if he walked his whole life.

It was a power that Cyan had unleashed with his own hands.

But ironically, Cyan didn’t understand its mysteries.

The shock of being forcibly dragged into an incomprehensible realm was tearing through his mind.

Frankly, he couldn’t use ‘Ultimate – Asura Heavenly Slaughter’ again right now if he tried.

What was he supposed to do when he didn’t even know what he had done?

Still, well.

There was a tremendous difference between never having experienced something and having touched that realm even once.

Just by touching the distant beyond, Cyan had realized something.

Of course.

“Ugh···!”

It tasted like death right now.

Cyan frowned at the splitting headache.

Would it be somewhat descriptive to say that about 3,000 silverfish were gnawing at his brain?

It was an unbearable pain.

It was so terrible that he wondered if he should get treatment from Aria.

Cyan struggled to raise his head and look for Aria.

And not far away.

He could see Aria collapsed on the floor, powerless.

She didn’t show any movement.

However, judging from the gentle rise and fall of her chest, it seemed she had simply fainted.

It seemed that she had fainted, unable to withstand the exploding madness when Lushuria unleashed her true power.

Far from getting treatment, he had to take care of Aria instead.

Still, well.

It was a great relief that things had been resolved.

With that, Cyan soothed his throbbing headache.

Just then.

Clang.

He heard the sound of armor clanging in front of Cyan.

When he struggled to raise his gaze again, he saw the knights of the Black Lion Knights, clad in armor stained with darkness.

The knights lined up in front of Cyan.

Soon, they all knelt on one knee towards Cyan.

-Andrew of the Black Lion Knights, I greet my lord.

-Ian of the Black Lion Knights, I greet my lord.

-Braden of the Black Lion Knights, I greet my lord.

-Benjamin of the Black Lion Knights, I greet my lord.

.

.

.

Thus, the 30 Black Lion Knights each spoke their names and paid their respects.

And perhaps because of the power Cyan had just shown.

The atmosphere was quite different from when they had first met.

-Charles of the Black Lion Knights, I greet my lord.

With that, all 30 knights finished their introductions.

Finally, Kendrick, who had been supporting Cyan, slowly moved his steps.

Then, he stepped forward to the front of the lined-up knights and knelt.

-Kendrick, the commander of the Black Lion Knights. I greet my lord.

Cyan quietly looked at the Black Lion Knights.

It felt like something had changed.

Something··· the atmosphere was unusual.

It wasn’t just the feeling of meeting their true lord.

That feeling was there, but it wasn’t the fundamental feeling.

Something··· something···.

-The Black Lion Knights, Kendrick and 30 others. We have completed all the missions given by our lord.

Kendrick uttered in a low voice.

At the same time, the 30 Black Lion Knights all bowed their heads.

“Ah···.”

At that sight, Cyan could realize it.

Death Knight.

Death Knights are magical beings resurrected from knights who harbored resentment in their past lives.

In fact, they are just beings of magic.

Originally, they are just undead consumed by madness.

They are beings so filled with resentment that they cannot forget even in death.

It is not easy to maintain sanity with that resentment.

Moreover, if that time lasted for a thousand years.

Therefore, originally, they should all have been undead consumed by magic, pursuing only madness.

So, in fact, resentment is just a trigger.

Originally, they would only crave endless death and eventually disappear into emptiness.

However, they were the magic knight order that followed Kyle.

The Black Lion Knights were not consumed by madness.

Therefore, they possessed clear reason.

That meant that when the resentment for their resurrection was resolved, they would also lose the basis for their existence.

Whoosh!

Black light flashed from the bodies of the knights of the Black Lion Knights.

Soon, one by one, their bodies turned into light and began to disappear.

Similar to the way Muriel had disappeared just now.

And Cyan watched that scene.

“······”

Cyan couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

No, he wanted to say something···.

“Ah··· ugh···.”

He couldn’t get it out of his throat.

To be a little more honest, Cyan wanted to shout like this.

‘Don’t go!!! The mission isn’t over yet! There are still plenty of people in the Vatican!’

He was already shouting that inside.

Because it was a waste!

All of them were knights who had reached the master level.

Moreover, they were also handling Kyle’s magic.

Where in the continent would there be such knights?

The Black Lion Knights were the strongest knight order on the continent, both a thousand years ago and now!

The White Wolf Knights of Elan Dure?

Ha! Don’t make me laugh!

It’s not a joke, but the entire White Wolf Knights wouldn’t stand a chance.

Look at the Holy Knights lying there.

Those amplified by Lushuria were also a joke.

The White Wolf Knights wouldn’t even be a joke, they would be done with a single touch!

That’s why Cyan wanted to shout ‘Don’t go!! Don’t go!!’ right away.

No, he had already shouted it hundreds of times inside!

But he couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud.

Maybe··· if Cyan asked them to stay, they would stay.

They were the ones among the Black Lion Knights who had a high loyalty to Kyle.

The unfinished mission from a thousand years ago had become a grudge and they were resurrected as Death Knights.

So now that they thought of Cyan as their true lord.

If Cyan asked them to stay, they would probably stay.

But··· Cyan couldn’t bring himself to do that.

It had been a thousand years.

The years they had spent filled with resentment.

The days they had spent in pain, trapped in that dark underground.

After a thousand years, they had finally been given the opportunity to resolve their resentment and be liberated.

How could he···.

How could he stand there and ask them to stay?

“Ah··· aaugh···.”

Cyan could only say such words in the face of that conflicting feeling.

“Keuh···!”

In the end, he could only swallow his sobs.

His eyes turned red for no reason and his body trembled.

The Black Lion Knights smiled softly at Cyan’s appearance.

Even though he could only see their helmets.

He could tell that they were smiling.

The figures of the knights of the Black Lion Knights became blurred.

In the end, they scattered into black light and disappeared.

-It was an infinite honor to meet our lord one last time.

A distant voice.

Swoosh···.

The Black Lion Knights turned into black light and disappeared.

“Aheup···!”

Cyan finally burst into sobs that were similar to tears.

No, to be exact, it was the overflowing regret, resentment, frustration, anger, resentment, affection, regret, injustice, and··· and···

So··· so··· so···.

Those complex, chaotic, dizzy, confused, unsettling, difficult, and disorganized, restless, and troubled emotions that he couldn’t describe···.

So··· so··· the swirling emotions that he couldn’t handle─.

-Don’t be too sad, Lord.

“······ Huh?”

A voice suddenly heard.

Cyan’s mental world stopped for a moment.

Slowly turning his head to look at that place.

There··· Kendrick was standing there, his dark blue eyes flickering?

Kendrick, the commander of the Black Lion Knights.

Cyan’s mental world stopped once again.

“······ Why···?”

-Are you asking why I didn’t leave?

Cyan nodded with a dazed expression.

Then, Kendrick said, his dark blue eyes flickering.

-Actually··· I didn’t become a Death Knight because of an unfinished mission.

Cyan tilted his head without realizing it.

Then, Kendrick continued to speak.

-It was because of Saintess Muriel.

“Because of Muriel···?”

-Yes.

Kendrick nodded.

At Kendrick’s appearance, Cyan tilted his head once again.

He became a Death Knight because of Muriel···?

Could it be···.

Was it because Kendrick liked Muriel or something?

Wait a minute.

There was something a little strange when he heard this.

None other than Kendrick’s words.

When he thought about it··· Kendrick called Muriel ‘Saintess’ Muriel.

So he used honorifics every time.

Although Muriel was Arnise who saved the world.

From Kendrick’s point of view, she was a mean woman who had imprisoned him for a thousand years.

So even if he called her Muriel that woman.

Or Muriel that damn woman.

Honestly, there was nothing to say.

Think about it, he had been trapped for a thousand years because of Muriel.

But Kendrick called her Saintess Muriel, honoring her.

Cyan looked at Kendrick with surprised eyes.

Whether he knew Cyan’s question or not.

Kendrick continued to speak.

-When we attacked the Vatican. Saintess Muriel stood in our way. And she imprisoned us deep underground. That’s how we died.

Cyan quietly listened to Kendrick’s words.

And Kendrick continued to speak.

-I also slowly died in that deep underground. At that point, with not much life left, Saintess Muriel came to find us.

At the time, all the Black Lion Knights except Kendrick were said to have died.

And Kendrick was also on the verge of death.

Only a faint spark of life remained.

Therefore, Muriel did not know that Kendrick was still alive.

She looked at the dead Black Lion Knights and cried endlessly.

‘I’m sorry. I’m really··· sorry.’

Honestly, Kendrick confessed that he felt disgusted.

He wondered if Muriel had been seduced by a demon.

If not, the Vatican was related to the demon.

That’s why she wouldn’t have stood in their way like this for them.

Kendrick thought that Muriel had betrayed them.

But.

‘This is the only way··· It was the only way. I’m really··· really sorry.’

Muriel is said to have muttered incomprehensible words.

And so.

-Saintess Muriel took her own life.

“What?”

Cyan shouted in surprise.

And at the same time.

Ding!

『[Story Sudden Quest] – ‘The Truth Hidden in the Truth’ (Cleared!)』

The story sudden quest was cleared with the cheerful notification sound of his smartphone.

Soon, the reward that had been ‘???’ changed to ‘Kendrick’ and floated up.

And again.

Ding!

『[Story Linked Quest] – ‘In Search of the Continuing Truth’』

A new story-linked quest notification window popped up on the screen.